Banja Vuca EXPLORATION LICENsE
NATURAL HYDROGEN AT THE HEART OF EUROPE
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Banja Vuca Exploration License
Following bibliographical research and initial field measurements, the Dinarides region, including Kosovo, appears to be favourable for the presence of hydrogen in several of the region’s thermo-mineral springs.
To confirm the potential for natural hydrogen, the 45-8 ENERGY team carried out two encouraging field missions. The presentation of the region’s exploration project to the relevant authorities subsequently strengthened 45-8 ENERGY’s resolve to explore the area further.
In January 2023, 45-8 ENERGY submitted an application for an exploration licence named ‘Banja Vuca’, which is currently being examined by the local authorities. This exploration licence will make it possible to fully assess the hydrogen potential of the area and confirm the technical and economic viability of a project to produce the resource, which is directly linked to the company’s mission.
The exploration work to be carried out under the ‘Banja Vuca’ licence will also provide a better understanding of the concept of ‘serpentinisation’, from both a scientific and an industrial point of view, and will make it possible to assess and clarify certain aspects relating to the operation and potential of the mechanism.
This licence therefore represents a promise both for the launch of the hydrogen industry in Kosovo and the Dinarides region and for the understanding of the global geological system of natural hydrogen.
What's next ?
The work program of the Banja Vuca exploration license aims at assessing the feasibility of a gas production project.
What happens next depends on the results. If the results are encouraging, a first production phase will be launched. If this production pilot then validates the viability of long-term production, the final infrastructures will be of small size, equivalent or even smaller than an agricultural warehouse. It will reconcile the industrial activity and the preservation of the environment through an innovative co-development, the use of state of the art eco-responsible technologies and, if the area allows it, the rehabilitation of an old industrial site.
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The license area
The “Banja Vuca” exploration license covers an area of 57.5km2 over the municipality of Leposavić, in northern Kosovo.
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Natural Hydrogen
The aim of the “Banja Vuca” exploration license is to assess the area’s potential for producing natural hydrogen.
Is natural hydrogen natural?
Natural hydrogen is produced naturally in the subsurface. As such, its formation requires no critical materials, no anthropogenic energy and no impact on available fresh water resources.
“Native hydrogen”, “natural hydrogen” or “white hydrogen” are some different terms used to describe the hydrogen produced naturally by our planet.
How is hydrogen formed?
The natural formation of hydrogen in the subsurface can have several origins. In the context of the “Banja Vuca” exploration license, hydrogen is formed by the transformation of a rock from the earth’s mantle, which reacts with water seeping through faults. This process, known as serpentinization, generates a rock called serpentine, as well as natural hydrogen.
Is native hydrogen a carbon-free resource?
Yes! Natural hydrogen, produced naturally underground, is a totally carbon-free resource. Its production requires no critical materials, anthropogenic energy or water, and enables the resource to be valorized at extremely competitive costs, making a direct contribution to the energy and ecological transition of Kosovo and Europe.
Why produce native hydrogen?
Native hydrogen has a role to play in the decarbonization of industry and mobility. This type of hydrogen could easily be integrated into the existing low-carbon hydrogen mix as a natural, decarbonized and competitive resource.
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Work program
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Key steps
*Hypothetical dates. The next steps will depend on how long it takes to process the exploration license application with the relevant authorities.
